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{Review} Vegan Dining in Durban – Part 2

It feels like only yesterday when I blogged about my trip to Durban – and here I am at it again. This time around, Don & I skipped the bunny chows and opted for wholesome meals. We are both following Dr. Greger’s daily dozen program and so nutrition was our primary focus when dining together. That said, I did want to revisit a few of my favourite foodie hangouts in Durbs, and managed to add one more to the list:

Chilliplum:
This gastronomical gourmet vegan restaurant turned 1 on Friday, 8 July, and so Don, Mandy (Fry’s social media manager) and I met up with two Miss Earth finalists for celebratory snacks. Mireesha Narsai and Melissa Schreiber are both so lovely and inspirational – two humble, beautiful girls that wish to make a difference in the world. Please give them and their Mss Earth SA campaigns some support on Twitter and Instagram! Since we were on our way to a trampoline session, we just opted for a light snack – Don & I shared a portion of vegan sushi and mini soft tortillas with black bean chilli and slaw, topped with guacamole, vegan cream cheese, and fresh salsa.

Mugg & Bean:
Have you tried Mugg & Bean’s new coconut, carrot & ginger soup? Every vegan in town has been raving about this new green addition on their menu, but I’ve been reluctant to try it. I’m honestly just not a fan of ordering soups in restaurants, my dad makes killer veggie soups and so I see them as a waste of money (funny enough, I used to feel the same about steak…sis). As the Pavillion Shopping Centre was my office this time around, I decided to give this soup a go. Man, has Mugg&Bean done well! This sweet and spicy soup has super salivating status. The sourdough slices soak up its creamy comfort with each dunk. I take back what I proclaimed about soups – this one was every penny’s worth!

Falafel Fundi:
We couldn’t resist the deep fried crunchiness of Falafel Fundi, and so after an hour of jumping around, Don and I treated ourselves to a little cheat meal. We were such fatties – we swapped the eggplant side in the Mediterranean platter for extra falafel balls AND ordered four more after finishing our platter. I’d love to know how they get their falafels fluffy on the inside. Guess we’ll just have to return for more until we solve this mouth-watering mystery.

Earthmother:
Every time a new health cafe opens up around the corner, the world smiles a little brighter. Apparently, Earthmother isn’t that new, but when they moved to the busy Musgrave area, they became an instant it-spot. The restaurant shares their premise with a beautiful little boutique and a chiropractor. It also boasts a deli with farm-fresh veggies, super powders, and eco-friendly household products. We only popped in for a quick snack before our half-day spa session (thanks again babe) and so our 39-minute meal consisted of two smoothies and a shared falafel wrap. It was yummy, but they should do with Falafel Fundi’s balls.

Palki Restaurant:
For Green Monday, and my final night in Durban, Don and I popped into Palki for a hot date. Literally! We shared the most amazing starter I have ever had at an Indian eatery: Vegetarian Manchurian – an Indian Chinese recipe of deep fried cauliflower balls in a sweet, spicy & sticky sauce. For mains, we shared a chilli mushroom curry as well as a chickpea curry with a big bowl of basmati rice on the side. Take a quick squiz at their menu over here.

I’ll be visiting Durban again mid-August. If you have any recommendations of where else to go, please do let me know!